John Aquilina, Malta’s High Commissioner in India, is expected to be appointed Ambassador to China, The Sunday Times of Malta has learnt.

He will replace Clifford Borg Marks who resigned earlier this year.

Foreign Affairs Minister George Vella would not confirm or deny the appointment, telling this newspaper: “We can only discuss such issues after an appointment has been made. It is too early to talk about it”. It is believed that the Maltese government has submitted Mr Aquilina’s nomination to the Chinese government.

Mr Aquilina was born in Malta but settled in Australia at a young age. He is a former Labour politician in New South Wales where he served as a member of the Legislative Assembly, a minister in various New South Wales governments, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and Leader of the House. He ended his political career in 2011.

Contacted for his reaction, Reno Calleja, president and founder of the Malta China Friendship Society, who some observers believed was to be appointed Malta’s top diplomat in Beijing, said: “I was not offered the post of Ambassador to China and had I been I would not have accepted it as I want to enjoy my grandchildren. I will offer my support to whoever the government appoints to this post.”

Mr Calleja, however, a former Labour politician who served as tourism minister from 1981 to 1983, ambassador to the Council of Europe from 1978 to 1981 and chairman of the Public Transport Authority from 1997 to 1998, said there were “many ways he could serve his country”.